With smoking banned from the entire Vanderbilt Medical Center campus, smokers have migrated to the Vanderbilt undergraduate campus and 21st Avenue to light up, to the annoyance of many.
Immediately following the ban in September, an increased number of smokers displaced from the medical center began to congregate on the patio of McTyeire Hall and later in front of the Student Health Center.
"McTyeire was highly affected by all of the smokers. It became un-enjoyable to be on the patio. Beside the constant clouds of smoke, there were no places to sit because of all the smokers," said David Johnson, the Russian language coordinator and resident of McTyeire.
In response to McTyeire residents' complaints that smokers were taking over the patio, the university posted "no smoking" signs in front of the dorm. To lure smokers away from the medical center and McTyeire, smoking benches were constructed in front of the Zerfoss Student Health Center.
"As I walk up the sidewalk each morning, I find it an odd image to see puffs of smoke coming from the smoking area, with the Student Health Center building sign as a backdrop," said Louise Hanson, the medical director of student health services. "Our ill patients must pass through that fog of smoke each time they park their cars and walk across the street to Student Health for medical care."
Initially, Hanson said she was thrilled the medical center would become smoke-free, especially because the Student Health Center property is within the boundaries of the medical center campus.
"We thought that (the ban) would eliminate the smoking that we often smelled as we passed the Round Wing on our way to work," Hanson said.
Jim Kramka, senior director of housing facilities operation and management, said the placement of the benches across from the health center was necessary to prevent smokers from congregating on the McTyeire patio.
"To be effective, the benches needed to be visible from McTyeire and the medical center," said Kramka.
The benches and "no smoking" signs surrounding McTyeire have proved effective in stopping smokers from lighting up on the patio, according to McTyeire residents.
"When the signs went up, no one smoked here anymore," said Raphael Zurz, an exchange student from Germany and resident of McTyeire. "They smoke now where the signs don't restrict them."
The medical center has been combating smoking since 1989 when it banned smoking inside all buildings. Since then, smoking policies have only grown stricter. In the early 1990's, the medical center developed designated smoking areas and established a "smoke patrol" to enforce the restricted smoking areas. In 2008, the Vanderbilt Medical Center, in addition to Centennial Medical Center, Baptist Hospital and St. Thomas Hospital, went smoke-free.
"We need to have the best environment for the patients," said Deputy Director of Medical Center News John Howser. "Smoking is the No. 1 cause of heart disease and cancer. ... It is up there as the worst thing you can do to yourself."
While the medical center campus is smoke-free, the undergraduate campus has fewer smoking restrictions.
"While smoking is not permitted in any university building, outside smoking has always been allowed on the academic campus," Kramka said.
"Our 'pie in the sky' hope is that our entire campus can eventually become smoke-free," Hanson said.
This hope follows a current national trend. According to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation, at least 260 colleges and universities across America have developed smoke-free campus policies. In Tennessee, both East Tennessee State University and Austin Peay State University enforce smoke-free policies similar to the medical center's smoking ban.
